Welco me Professional Learning for Adolescent Literacy Leaders

Welco me! Professional Learning for Adolescent Literacy Leaders, Coaches and Administrators October 2011 1

Before we begin… • Coach Place the corresponding colour sticky next to the label which represents your role to create a bar graph. You may identify as more than one role if needed. • Literacy Lead, Consultant/Coordinator • Administrator • Student Success Leader • Classroom Teacher • Other 2

You are an expert! Think about something you’ve learned to do well. What evidence do you have that confirms your thinking? 3

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How do these categories also apply to the adolescent learner? For success, the adolescent learner needs… 5

Goals for the Session By the end of the session, I will have collaborated with my peers to determine: – the impact of current research on adolescent literacy, evidenceinformed instructional practices and instructional coaching – the connection between the professional learning cycle and the coaching cycle – the importance of using the professional learning cycle for jobembedded professional learning that focuses on the improvement of students’ literacy achievement – the opportunities available for networking with adolescent literacy leaders, coaches, administrators, and provincial literacy leads 6

Three Part Lesson Format Minds On • Establishing a positive learning environment • Connecting to prior learning and/or experiences • Setting the context for learning • Engage students emotionally and cognitively • Assess students’ prior learning; activate (or build) prior learning • Develop interpersonal learning, collaborative skills 7

Three Part Lesson Format Action! Students do the subject — not hear or read about it. Action includes: • Introducing new learning or extending/reinforcing prior learning • Providing opportunities for practice and application of learning (from teacher modelling to guided and shared practice to independent practice) Instruction includes: • Modelling • Guided practice and scaffolded exploration • Co-construction of understanding • Gradual release of responsibility • Differentiation • A variety of groupings and collaborative structures 8

Three Part Lesson Format Consolidation • Helping students demonstrate what they have learned • Providing opportunities for consolidation and reflection • Check for conceptual understanding of critical learning through reflection, summary, application, consideration of alternative approaches • Use whole-class discussion, journals, exit cards • Prepare for/anticipate follow-up or next lesson 9

Agenda Minds On • Connecting with research • Exploring skills and competencies of Literacy for the 21 st Century Action! • Comparing the Coaching Cycle and Professional Learning Cycle • Working with the Professional Learning Cycle through various roles Consolidation • Connecting Supports for Adolescent Literacy 10

Season Partners 11

How has the 3 -part lesson been used in your board? 12

Minds On “ From research…” What are the implications for classroom practice? 13

Minds On Literacy in the 21 st Century What are the competencies our students need to have when they graduate? 14

Literacy in the 21 st Century Literacy is defined as the ability to use language and images in rich and varied forms to read, write, listen, view, represent, and think critically about ideas. It involves the capacity to access, manage, and evaluate information; to think imaginatively and analytically; and to communicate thoughts and ideas effectively. Literacy includes critical thinking and reasoning to solve problems and make decisions related to issues of fairness, equity, and social justice. Literacy connects individuals and communities and is an essential tool for personal growth and active participation in a cohesive, democratic society. 15 Reach Every Student: Energizing Ontario Education, Winter 2008

How has the reality of the 21 st century affected you? 16

How can a Provincial Literacy Lead provide support in my school board? Here are some examples: Action! build capacity of literacy leaders and coaches explore components of coaching and options for implementation support professional learning (co develop a “coaching menu”) facilitate board and regional networking of coaches and literacy leaders support the exploration of the literacy needs of all learners from grades 7 -12 How can a Provincial Literacy Lead provide support in my school board? support the use of classroom data as a focus for instruction and professional learning connect coaching to evidence based practices that support the needs of adolescents facilitate the development of professional learning about literacy in all subject areas collaborate with administrators to align board, school and classroom goals help connect SEF to BIPSA and SIPSA for planning and coaching explore coaching in the implementation of the professional learning cycle Boards may request a Provincial Literacy Lead through the Edu. GAINS website or by contacting literacycoach@edugains. ca. When requesting a Provincial Literacy Lead, it is a board’s responsibility to ensure that there is approval from the appropriate senior administrator(s). 17

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Action! 19

Student Success EPO Funding • Literacy and Mathematics Professional Learning Strategy • Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy • Student Success School &Cross Panel Teams 20

Professional Learning Cycle 21

The Professional Learning Cycle • A process for collaborative inquiry that is used by teams of educators for professional learning • Learning occurs during and between team meetings when educators share practice, examine student work and/or access opportunities to build their instructional skills and knowledge 22

Collaborative Inquiry (Not abbreviated. Learning as PLC) Professional Teaching-Learning Critical. Cycle Pathway Action Research Coaching Cycle SS/L-18 ITEB: DI Professional Learning Strategy, 2011 -12 23 23

Action! 24

How have you used the coaching cycle and/or the professional learning cycle? 25

Coaching/Learning Cycles …a way of ensuring that collaboration goes beyond casual story swapping and becomes true, intentional joint work that results in new understandings that will move practice forward 26 Katz, Earl & Jaafar, (2009). Building and Connecting Learning Communities, p. 74. 26 26

Coaching/Learning Cycles “Having … (a) clear and defensible learning focus for students and staff is necessary for the kind of professional learning that is the precursor to changes in practice, and ultimately, to changes in student achievement. ” Steven Katz, GTA PNC Capacity Building Project: p. 6 27 27

Video Clip from the Professional Learning Cycle DVD - ACT 28 28

Literacy in the 21 st Century Literacy is defined as the ability to use language and images in rich and varied forms to read, write, listen, view, represent, and think critically about ideas. It involves the capacity to access, manage, and evaluate information; to think imaginatively and analytically; and to communicate thoughts and ideas effectively. Literacy includes critical thinking and reasoning to solve problems and make decisions related to issues of fairness, equity, and social justice. Literacy connects individuals and communities and is an essential tool for personal growth and active participation in a cohesive, democratic society. Reach Every Student: Energizing Ontario Education, Winter 2008 29

Action! BIPSA/SIPSA Classroom Professional Learning Principles, Priorities, Supports 30

Survey 31

Action! BIPSA/SIPSA Classroom Professional Learning Principles, Priorities, Supports 32

Talk to the Text Read the selection and summarize the main idea of each paragraph in your own words. Write your summaries on the page beside the text. • What does this selection ask you to think about? • What is an effective way of professional learning? • Why would a teacher want students to actively think and talk about a text? 33

Action! 34

Action! 35

What are the student needs that this coach and teacher are discussing? 36

Action! Identify need 37

Inquiry-based learning engages students in asking questions and problem solving to build knowledge. School Effectiveness Framework 38

Breakout Groups Administrators Coaches and Literacy Leaders 39

Coaches and Literacy Leaders Action! How does Indicator 4. 4 connect to the teacher and coach conversation? 40

Coaches and Literacy Leaders Action! Determine educator learning 41

Coaches and Literacy Leaders Action! • How might the coach help this teacher determine what to do? • What areas might the coach work on with the teacher? • What are some entry points to working with the teacher? • What might the coach’s next steps be? 42

Coaches and Literacy Leaders Action! Using Cathy Toll’s question categories, generate some specific questions you might use to work with this teacher. (page 45) 43

Administrators Action! 44

Administrators Action! 45

Administrators Action! 46

Administrators Collaborative Inquiry Continuum Examine the rows on both sides of the continuum Select a row that is significant to you as an administrator For a team on which you are/were a member or that you have facilitated, which stage description best matches the team’s work? 47 47

Whole Group 48

Action! There is an interdependence between what formal leaders and informal leaders do such that formal leaders enable informal leaders in ways that are activity based and expertise driven. Formal leaders distribute power and leadership so as to encourage others to view themselves as important in shaping future direction. Steven Katz, Lorna Earl & Sonia Ben Jaafar (2009) 49

Action! Formal & Informal Leadership Informal • Instructional leadership • Set direction • Roles are a function of relationships, influence and activities • Lead, participate and share – activity-based and expertise driven • Organize, manage, design and build collaborative processes and communities Formal • Operational and instructional leadership • Articulate vision • Role of authority • Support teachers in learning – advocacy, time and resources, delegate, distribute power • Create conditions for collaboration 50 Steven Katz, Lorna Earl & Sonia Ben Jaafar (2009) 50 50

Action! How can formal and informal leaders work together to enhance professional learning? What are the conditions which allow formal and informal leadership to occur? 51

Literacy in the 21 st Century Literacy is defined as the ability to use language and images in rich and varied forms to read, write, listen, view, represent, and think critically about ideas. It involves the capacity to access, manage, and evaluate information; to think imaginatively and analytically; and to communicate thoughts and ideas effectively. Literacy includes critical thinking and reasoning to solve problems and make decisions related to issues of fairness, equity, and social justice. Literacy connects individuals and communities and is an essential tool for personal growth and active participation in a cohesive, democratic society. Reach Every Student: Energizing Ontario Education, Winter 2008 52

Consolidation Goals for the Session By the end of the session, I will have collaborated with my peers to determine: – the impact of current research on adolescent literacy, evidenceinformed instructional practices and instructional coaching – the connection between the professional learning cycle and the coaching cycle – the importance of using the professional learning cycle for jobembedded professional learning that focuses on the improvement of students’ literacy achievement – the opportunities available for networking with adolescent literacy leaders, coaches, administrators, and provincial literacy leads 53

Consolidation How can literacy leaders, coaches, principals and teachers support the literacy learning required of students in the 21 st century? 54

Thank You 55